Expectations can be a bitch. When a series gets as much critical
and fan acclaim as the new “rebooted” X-Men
franchise has received, in particular with regard to the previous entry Days of Future Past, it’s only time until
one of the entries disappoints and receives the flaming. Enter in X-Men: Apocalypse, the third entry into
the latest series featuring a younger X-Men cast, and while it is a
disappointment when compared to the previous two it’s hardly worthy of the
horrendous (and dare I say, vicious) response from critics that is has
received. As it is, Apocalypse is a
fine X-Men film filled with plenty of
entertaining sequences and fun pieces for audiences even if the film itself is
a much more hollow experience compared to the previous two films. It suffers
from some of the same issues that have plagued previous X-Men films in the past, but ultimately it moves at such a smooth
pace that it never bottoms out the film like it could have.

Xavier’s school for mutants is becoming a bustling refuge
for those out casted or looking for a place to hone their abilities. When an ancient evil
being (Isaac) is awakened in Cairo though, he looks to take his rightful place
as commander of the earth by bringing about the apocalypse with the help of
four chosen individuals – including a now rogue Magneto (Fassbender). To cancel
the apocalypse, Charles (McAvoy) will have to gather together some of his
strongest students to reform the X-Men…but will it be enough to stop an
unstoppable force?

Newbies.

As with most of the other X-Men movies, Apocalypse
rides a fine line with its ensemble cast that works as a blessing and a curse.
At this point with the reboot franchise we’ve already run the course with a few
characters (Mystique is starting to weaken as a lead character as she
repeatedly sprints the same character arc), but the heart of this series
remains strong with the Charles and Erik duality that continues to pulsate
underneath the epic plot of this entry. As odd as it is, Magneto once again
steals the show with his story – even if he somewhat disappears in the third
act – and as the film bulks up its cast by reintroducing some of the characters
we already know and love like Storm, Cyclops, and Nightcrawler, it seems to
lose a bit of steam with the stronger character arcs that could have added much
needed depth to the film including Magneto’s furthering distance from humanity.
Apocalypse plays a more stoic villain, which worked for me as a balance to the
more emotional beats of the protagonists of the film, but too many of the secondary
characters feel a bit left in the dark. We’re not talking about some of the
terrible character work that undercut Origins
Wolverine or The Final Stand, but
characters like Psylocke and Storm tend to be undercooked. There is a lot of
fun to be had with the colorful cast, including another fun Quicksilver time
stop sequence and the return of Nightcrawler is always welcome, but due to the
size of the cast it’s just impossible for the film to be able to add so many
new characters and give them the backing they need.

Despite its robust cast, Apocalypse
does succeed in being an entertaining action flick overall. The story feels
occasionally rushed, where they needed to make Magneto’s decision to join
Apocalypse a bit more punchy, and it’s occasionally drug out like the opening
sequence that’s obviously there to add in some spectacle even if the pyramid
trap seems daft, but it moves at a quick enough pace that it’s able to be
enjoyed and doesn’t burden the audience too much. The action is remarkably fun
at times, even if somewhat unnecessary like Quicksilver’s second time slowing
stint, and director Bryan Singer certainly knows how to keep things heartfelt
in the meantime. Even an elongated action cameo from High Jackman as Wolverine
seems fitting to get that piece in there. The inclusion of the “team taken by
Styker” sequence could have easily been cut for time purposes, but Singer
handles it so smoothly that it doesn’t feel
unnecessary even when it probably is. This is the essence of the fine line that
Apocalypse walks and depending on how
invested you are in the characters and action it’s either going to feel like an
exercise in excess or one that continues to entertain despite its flaws.

Oldbie?

Overall, X-Men:
Apocalypse might feel like a huge disappointment when compared to the
previous two, but it’s an entertaining popcorn flick in its own right. When it
works, like the new Magneto subplot or the fun battle of minds between Xavier
and Apocalypse, the film is highly entertaining and boasts a strong sense of
thoughtfulness that has kept this franchise relevant since its debut. When it
struggles, with its robust cast for example, that’s when it seems to struggle a
lot and buckles slightly under the epic weight of its concept. Apocalypse might not be the best X-Men film on the block, but it’s
definitely not the piece of shit that so many critics hailed it as when it
first dropped in theaters. Fans of the series will still find plenty to love in
the small detailing and fun performances. Ultimately, that’s what matters in the
end. Apocalypse is not the end of the
world (or franchise).

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Here at Blood Brothers we, cult fan brothers Eric and Matt, are dedicated to bringing reviews to some of the worlds best (and worst, depending on your taste) cult like films from around this large globe. Whether it be Horror, Science Fiction, Kung Fu, or any other cult like genre - we are your first and last stop for all your review needs. Unapologetically kvlt.

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